I.a sailor, seaman, mariner: “ego nautas eum non putabam habiturum,” Cic. Att. 9, 3, 2; id. Fam. 16, 9, 4; “nautas gubernatoresque comparari jubet,” Caes. B. G. 3, 9: “pavidus nauta,” Hor. C. 1, 1, 14: “nautae = mercatores,” id. S. 1, 1, 29: “permixtus nautis et furibus et fugitivis,” Juv. 8, 174.—Uncontracted form navita (mostly poet.): “nulla est voluptas navitis major,” Plaut. Men. 2, 1, 1; Cato ap. Paul. ex Fest. p. 169 Müll.: “timidi navitae, Cic. poët. Tusc. 2, 10, 23: navita de ventis, de tauris narrat arator,” Prop. 2, 1, 43: “navita tum stellis numeros et nomina fecit,” Verg. G. 1, 137: “omnis navita ponto Umida vela legit,” id. ib. 1, 372 sq.: “navitas precum ejus (Arionis) commiseritum esse,” Gell. 16, 19, 11; cf. Charon. Ap. M. 6, 20, p. 181; so, “navita turpis aquae,” Tib. 1, 10, 36: navita Porthmeus, Petr. poet. 121, 117.
nauta (ante-class., poet., and late Lat. nāvĭta ), ae, m. for navita, from navis,